Tree of Life
by Wolvierules88
Summary: Jubilee and Logan share a magical winter moment at Christmas time.


This is my first fanfic. I'm looking forward to reviews and comments, please let me know what you think!

I want to thank my friend Aldebaran, for her inspiration, endless patience and much needed help. This story would not exist without her.

-ooooo-

He helped her to bundle up, insisting on "winter woolies" beneath their heavy jeans and layered shirts, extra socks and thick, sheepskin mittens for their hands. Playfully he tugged his arctic fleece hat over her head, tucking her hair beneath, and stood patiently while she wrapped a long, green scarf, her Christmas gift to him, around his neck.

_Now remember, Jubilee, _he said as they paused before the cabin door. _No talkin' from here on._

_I know, I remember, I won't. But just tell me what we're doin', Wolvie, will ya?_

His reply was to pick up a rolled sleeping bag from the floor and shoulder the door open. Moonlight lit the little glade before them, trees and brush and porch railings alike glowing coldly with a metallic silver sheen. To the east the night was fading, faint traces of purple and red just beginning to paint the horizon. Wind-caught snow danced across the porch, and somewhere far away an owl hooted.

He led her around to the back of the snug little cabin, off into the forest, to another tiny opening in the trees. Sleeping bag quickly opened and spread upon the snow, they sat down and he pulled the edges of the thick blanket around them, working to tuck them down and seal all gaps from the needling wind. His strong arm curved around her back. His lips found her cheek, her cheek found his shoulder, resting contentedly.

After a time, small movements and faint rustlings drew her eye to a blue spruce standing alone, apart from the other trees, just inside their little glade. It was a gorgeous tree, perfect in shape and symmetry. In the growing light of dawn and the moon's glow she could see clusters of snow-dusted pine cones at its top. Its needles were an especially beautiful bright, icy blue.

The tree was alive with birds, their song ringing like wind chimes in the crisp frozen air. Birds with glorious shades of blue, red, yellow and orange mixed with more somber winter tones of brown and charcoal, birds flitting, fluttering, sweeping and zipping as they busily worked in, out and around the branches. They were feeding, feeding from small mesh bags and great, oversized pine cones tied to the branches with bright red ribbons.

From beneath the pine's sheltering branches she saw squirrels scampering, big fluffy-tailed grays and a trio of their smaller cousins, the more striking tuft-eared red, gathering hard shelled nuts from the ground. A lone chipmunk made an appearance, and a moment later a snowshoe hare, resplendent in his winter coat, lolloped up to nibble from a pile of hay. A heavily furred red fox arrowed past, ignoring the hare, snatching a chunk of suet as he went.

Logan's hand tightened slightly on her shoulder, and Jubilee looked eagerly to where he was gazing. Stepping daintily, ears spread and nose twitching, a beautiful doe left the forest and approached the tree. She turned their way briefly, and unalarmed, blinking slowly, dipped her head to eat from the hay, pulling wisps away and tossing her head playfully as she munched. After a moment another deer joined her, larger and darker colored, moving silently from the wood. Just as unalarmed as she, the buck fed quietly by her side and then lowered himself into the snow. The doe lay down next to him, leaning into his side. Their mingled breath puffed white before them as she nibbled his face gently with her teeth.

The sun had edged over the horizon, casting a rosy blush faintly over the blanketed snow. Jubilee's cheek found Logan's shoulder again but her head lifted immediately when his pressing hand and his small involuntary huff of exhilaration told her that something special was approaching the glade.

A furry-cheeked face, darkly striped, with copper eyes and pointed ears adorned with a long black tuft of fur, pushed out from the brush, drew back, appeared again. A long, long pause, and then to her utter amazement, a lynx padded silently out of the forest.

She prowled with a predator's lithe grace to the spruce, scenting the air, ears always moving, moving. The deer watched the cat, heads turning in unison as they tracked her movements, but they did not rise, and after a time they lost interest and turned to each other again.

The lynx sniffed around the tree and using her wide, snow-shoe like paws, began to scrabble and dig in the snow, eventually pulling out a chunk of frozen meat. She settled down with it gripped firmly between her feet, the sound of her teeth rasping meat from bone mixing incongruously but somehow perfectly with the cheery birdsong.

The scene was amazing and surreal and Jubilee shivered at the mystery of it. A glance into Logan's shining face showed her that he was as awed as she by the tableau. As sunlight finally touched the glade, sending thousands of sparkling snow diamonds glittering and winking in a dazzling display, the deer rose and slipped slowly back into the wood. The lynx likewise drifted off, stubby tail flipping a rakish goodbye to them as she turned away.

Logan and Jubilee got to their feet, movments slow and quiet, to keep the spell unbroken. They rolled up their blanket, and turned away as well, stepping lightly arm in arm to the clearing edge, pausing to look back, reluctant to leave the wonder behind. When his hand caught her wrist she knew it wasn't over yet. Excitement shone in his eyes, a slight nod directed her gaze and she froze in disbelief as a pale sand colored wolf emerged from behind the spruce. His yellow eyes regarded them briefly, and then with a casual snort he turned, sniffed the snow, and snapped up the lynx's discarded bone, disappearing with a bound back into the forest.

Back at the cabin, once again wrapped snugly in their blanket with bare feet peeking out to toast before the fire, Jubilee finally broke the silence, whispering softly, her lips brushing his ear. _It was a miracle, Wolvie. A Christmas gift, just for us. And the lion shall lie down with the lamb...You know?_

_Never seen the like, Jubes. God was speakin', sure enough, out there, in that little glade. 'Tis the season..._

_I think so too. _

She watched for a time the firelight playing over his face. _It was your work that made it possible, Wolvie. I think...I think God was working through you._

He sighed, a tiny smile lifting the corners of his mouth. _Hell of a note, darlin'. Took me more'n a lifetime to learn that lesson. Ya gotta give, in order t' receive. _

They turned, lashes touching. _My lion, _she murmured.

_My lamb, _he answered, and between gentle kisses, they both grinned at that.


End file.
